Actor Glenn Ford started his military service in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Then he volunteered to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve at the outset of World War II. He eventually retired as a Captain in the Naval Reserve.

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"We're after men - and I wish to God I was with them. The next time you make a mistake, I'm going to ride off and let you die." - Deke Thornton, - The Wild Bunch

Robert Ryan was a boxing-champ at Dartmouth College for four years, worked as a ship's stoker, the WPA, and as a ranch hand. He later served [Jan. 1944] in the USMC, as a Drill Instructor at Camp Pendelton.

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"We're after men - and I wish to God I was with them. The next time you make a mistake, I'm going to ride off and let you die." - Deke Thornton, - The Wild Bunch

Hardy Krüger of "Flight of the Phoenix", "A Bridge Too Far", "The Wild Geese" etc. fame had an interesting story if you believe his account. From a hard Nazi family, sent to one of the NS elite schools in Sonthofen at age 13 where he didn't like the military drill (except for glider flying), but blamed himself for it; discovered for film in 1943 at age 15 for his Aryan posterboy looks and talent, and clandestinely re-educated by fellow actor Hans Söhnker while shooting the propaganda movie "Young Eagles", who used him as an unwitting courier in a little private project to smuggle Jews to Switzerland; drafted into SS division "Nibelungen" in March 1945 at 16, but when he encountered some black GIs in Tyrol refused to fire because they reminded him of Jesse Owens whom he had cheered in the 1936 Olympics.

Court martialed to death for cowardice, but the officer in charge thought he was too young to be executed and used him for suicidal messenger missions instead. Deserted on his second mission, hid in the woods until war's end and was taken prisoner by the Americans, whom he told in his best wide-eyed innocent boy impression "I thought you had come to liberate us, not imprison us". Some captain hinted to him the camp gate would open for lunch delivery at noon, leaving it to the guards whether they would fire. Tried to hike home to Berlin, this time taken prisoner by the Soviets. Somebody killed the lone guard taking his group to the next town, and they scattered.

His father wasn't so lucky and died in some Soviet camp. The Soviets also kept demanding the son be delivered to them from British-run youth radio in Hamburg where a German Jew with British citizenship had hired him despite initially telling him "what are you thinking, are you crazy?" upon reading that he had been in Sonthofen. That eventually stopped after the broadcaster suggested he change his name from Eberhard to Hardy. French director Yves Allégret still told him to fuck off with words to the effect of "we've had hundreds of thousands of Germans here, in grey uniforms, we don't need any more" when he tried to get a role in the nouvelle vague in 1954 because he found German film becoming too shallow.

The British initially didn't want him either but were less rude per his words, until they let him play in "The One Who Got Away" in 1956. Which caused quite an uproar in the British press for the sympathetic portrayal of a Luftwaffe officer apparently, but launched his international career, with even the French coming knocking. It seems he tired of mostly playing German soldiers eventually, which you can't blame him for; he moved to writing and TV documentaries since the 70s. Hasn't been in a cinematic movie since 1984, and 2011 was the first and last time he played in front of a TV camera since the 90s, though he hasn't ruled out to take another role if he likes it.

My first year at SHOT Media Day, range and buddy and I went to the Glock range to talk to R. Lee Ermey. He spotted us and yelled, Gentlemen, fuck the world!" We had a great talk and that was always our first stop the following year. The man was an old-fashioned gentleman and a real life badass.

Robert Conrad is one of my favorites. I made it a point to watch any interview he did. You really got the feeling he was a man who could handle himself.

__________________________________________________________________________________----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Always remember that others may hate you but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself. Richard M Nixon

It's nice to be important, it's more important to be nice. Billy Joe Shaver

NRA Life Member

Posts: 7195 | Location: Between the Moon and New York City. | Registered: November 27, 2011

Tim Abell. 2nd Ranger Battalion & 3rd Infantry. Seems to be working with Vets and conservation issues after Hollywood. Can't say he was ever a top billed star, but I think he qualifies for this discussion.

You think Mr T is a tough guy?You should have met his brother! Gus Tero. One of the STRONGEST people I've ever met. The man was a machine. Built like a Mack Truck. One of the nicest human beings out there. He'd give you the shirt off his back, but you had to earn it. You could NEVER QUIT! Run, sit-up's, push-ups, bear crawls... whatever.

Gus Tero was an old school Chicago Cop who worked the Projects for years before he became a Gym Instructor at the Academy. The stories about when he was in the Projects were amazing. I've never heard anyone say a bad word about him, I've also never heard that anyone ever beat him. He'd do 1000 push-ups every day, rain, shine, heat or cold. I personally watched him crank out 50 one handed push-ups with the one hand in a puddle of slush in the Academy parking lot on a cold winter day back in '95 just to mess with me. He'd work out at the Academy with recruits for 7 or so hours, then go hit the gym at 35th Street and lift for another 3 or 4 hours.

You think Mr T is a tough guy?You should have met his brother! Gus Tero. One of the STRONGEST people I've ever met. The man was a machine. Built like a Mack Truck. One of the nicest human beings out there. He'd give you the shirt off his back, but you had to earn it. You could NEVER QUIT! Run, sit-up's, push-ups, bear crawls... whatever.

Gus Tero was an old school Chicago Cop who worked the Projects for years before he became a Gym Instructor at the Academy. The stories about when he was in the Projects were amazing. I've never heard anyone say a bad word about him, I've also never heard that anyone ever beat him. He'd do 1000 push-ups every day, rain, shine, heat or cold. I personally watched him crank out 50 one handed push-ups with the one hand in a puddle of slush in the Academy parking lot on a cold winter day back in '95 just to mess with me. He'd work out at the Academy with recruits for 7 or so hours, then go hit the gym at 35th Street and lift for another 3 or 4 hours.